The latest version of Duo began rolling out to users this morning, but there haven't been any visible changes popping up in the live app. As is tradition, especially with Duo, a teardown does turn up a few of the changes we can look forward to in the future. This time, we're looking at yet another camera effect, but this one may actually stick around and make it to users. There is also follow-up on some previous camera effects and the voicemail / videomail feature discussed in previous teardowns.

Teardown

Disclaimer: Teardowns are based on evidence found inside of apks (Android's application package) and are necessarily speculative and usually based on incomplete information. It's possible that the guesses made here are totally and completely wrong. Even when predictions are correct, there is always a chance that plans could change or may be canceled entirely. Much like rumors, nothing is certain until it's officially announced and released.

The features discussed below are probably not live yet, or may only be live for a small percentage of users. Unless stated otherwise, don't expect to see these features if you install the apk.

Drishti effect

The Duo team has been internally testing a number of effects and adjustments to the image fed through the camera, but so far they've been off limits to the public. It's not surprising since most of these settings would be inconvenient and very fiddly to work with during a video chat, they're really better handled automatically. However, there might be a more user-friendly effect coming to Duo that may finally make it to users, and it's called Drishti.

If the name Drishti sounds familiar, the word means 'vision' in Hindi, and can be found mentioned in yoga, though it is also the name of a piece of software for data visualization. In either case, the main concept is about maintaining focus on the subject.

There are currently three options for this mode: None, Auto, and Manual. I've tried enabling each, but see no difference in the results. It's the presence of an Auto mode that leads me to think this may turn into a user-facing feature.

How would this look as a camera effect? I can't answer that yet with confidence. Based on the previous tests with camera settings, my suspicion is that Drishti mode will tweak camera settings to make members of a video chat stand out in the image. Automatic mode would probably detect and focus on faces, which could obviously take advantage of Google's Mobile Vision technologies, and the Manual mode might even allow members of the video chat to choose a point in the shot to highlight. Who knows, the team might even be playing with techniques to isolate subjects in an image... /cough. Again, this is mostly speculation and may turn out very differently, or this might be yet another experiment that won't reach the general public.

While we're on the subject of camera effects, it's worth noting that three of the previously covered effects have been removed: Exposure compensation, White balance, and Color effects. As I just said above, it's pretty obvious that these aren't going to be great for users to change manually, however experimentation with these effects likely brought about Drishti mode.

Re-record video mail

Another result of the Duo v21 teardown was an upcoming feature for sending audio or video messages to other people separate from a video call. Basically, voicemail, but with video. While it's fairly obvious you will be able to back out of sending a recorded message, the latest update adds a re-record button that should streamline the process of starting over if the first attempt to record a message goes sideways.

<string name="button_re_record_message">Re-record</string>

Download

The APK is signed by Google and upgrades your existing app. The cryptographic signature guarantees that the file is safe to install and was not tampered with in any way. Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take day download and install it just like any other APK.

"If the name Drishti sounds familiar, the word means 'vision' in Hindi". You may want to put in a correction.

Actually, one of the Devs working on the Duo team by the name of Eric Kim created these types of effects, and he decided to name it Drishti... which when you put into Google Translate, it says it's actually a word in Korean, meaning "Stickers".

destinyhud

nice trolling... seutikeo

xyz

Putting your comment into Google Translate, it translates to "Bullshit".

Quick question. I usually sidoad APK's but I'm thinking they are usually not signed with a cryptographic Signature. Therefore they are not updated via play store. Will the APK's you guys post, update on the play store or will i have to keep sideloading app updates?

EarlyMon

Go to the apkmirror link, click on the (read more) by the "verified safe to install" just above the download. I've never had a problem.

You will continue to get Play Store updates for sideloaded apps as long as they are already linked to your account. If you've got any doubts or you can think of any possible inconsistencies, check out this fairly absurd exchange on reddit where I addressed a lot of them. (link) Note, this link is just to the point where I come into the conversation. For full context, step back to here and get a laugh at how persistent the OP is.

"Another result of the Duo v21 teardown was an upcoming feature for sending audio or video messages to other people separate from a video call. Basically, voicemail, but with video."

"Basically, voicemail, but with video."

"Basically, voicemail, but with video."

"Basically, voicemail, but with video."

If you can't understand the difference between record and send video in a chatting interface and video calling someone and them missing your call and leaving them "Basically, voicemail, but with video." then I don't know what to tell you and no wonder you're confused.

Grey

I don't see a difference. Would you like to explain the difference you see? Or do you not have an actual point?

What you're referring to in Hangouts is sending a video message, just like sending a picture within a chat just like any other chat app. Duo is NOT a chat app. It's a simple and straight forward one-on-one video calling app (like FaceTime), you either video/audio call or do nothing at all. This new feature highlighted in the article allows for when you make a video call, if the person doesn't answer to leave a video equivalent of voicemail… an action that requires me to call you first, you not answer my call, and then me prompted to leave you a message as to why I'm calling. Not exactly the same.
Saying they're the same is to say that the phone app allows you to send audio messages by way of voicemail… and say that's the same thing as sending audio messages in WhatsApp.

(I've now done too much to explain this 😔)

Grey

It's. Exactly. The. Same.

The mechanism might be different, but what is the end result? You have sent a video to someone. It's the same thing.

And yes, it is the same thing as getting a voicemail for WhatsApp. That's how people use it (though WhatsApp can be used for more).

That's why they have different names. That's why they function differently. That's why the article mentions it differently. And you truly believe that they are, then I can't help you any further and therefore, I'm done. Have a nice day.

Grey

They don't function differently. They really don't. How you get to them is different but that doesn't make the end result different. It is sending a video message to someone. That's what it is.

JG

I'm thinking this may have been mentioned in a previous Duo teardown... But I'm really hoping Google decides to allow us to link our Google account info into our Duo profile.

If done "right", this could allow us to use Duo on more than just our phone. Just because users in India generally have only one device doesn't mean everyone is limited. I have a tablet, Chromebook and desktop that could all handle video calling in addition to my phone. The desktop would probably be a better choice than the phone as my arm wouldn't get tired holding the phone out for the duration and the camera would be a lot more stationary producing a less shaky image.

This would also be helpful for when Google launches their Google Home with a display. They've done a lot to add VoIP calling features to the current generation of Google Home devices. Duo based video calling seems like the next logical step if/when they release a device with a screen.

It would also allow individuals who do not have a smartphone to join in on the Duo (and hopefully Allo as well) fun. I know a few people who have just a tablet and/or desktop. No reason these individuals should be left out simply because they don't want to be saddled to an expensive monthly data plan and thus lack a phone number to sign up with or an artificially limited device selection. Even the $30 Amazon Fire tab I picked up for the he'll of it has the hardware to do a video call.